Press Release

Dr. Michael Rock to Lead AHA's Section for Health Care Systems

The American Hospital Association (AHA) is pleased to announce that Michael G. Rock, M.D., chief medical officer and medical director of the Mayo Rochester Hospitals in Rochester, Minn., will be the 2008 chair of the AHA Section for Health Care Systems. This constituency section represents health systems across the country that provide guidance to the AHA in advocacy activities, policy development and governance.

Additional to his leadership roles with Mayo Rochester Hospitals, Rock serves as chair of the hospitals' Financial Analysis and Performance Committee, is a participating member of the Management Oversight Group or Operational Arm of the Executive Board, a member of the Finance Committee and vice-chair for the Clinical Practice Committee. He is an active member of Mayo's National Policy Board seeking to increase dialogue among national stakeholders to improve the health care delivery for the country.

Rock received a Bachelors of Science from the University of Western Ontario in Canada, later receiving a Doctor of Medicine cum laude (deans honor list) from the same university. He assumed his post-graduate fellowship training in surgical oncology at The Rizzoli Institute in Bologna, Italy and the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Rock is currently a professor of surgery at Mayo, continuing an active surgical practice while attending to the above administrative roles. He is a member of numerous national and international discipline-specific associations, holding executive positions in several. Rock is married and has four children.

David R. Lincoln, president and CEO of Covenant Health System in Lexington, Mass., is the 2008 chairman-elect. Lincoln will assume the role of chairman in 2009. Larry A. Mullins, DHA, president and CEO of Samaritan Health Services, Inc. in Corvallis, Ore., is the immediate past-chair.

Michael J. Halseth, president and CEO of Valley Health System in Winchester, Va.;

Robert Issai, president and CEO of Daughters of Charity Health System in Los Altos Hills, Calif.;

John K. Lloyd, president and CEO of Meridian Health in Neptune, N.J.;

Joseph (Chip) Marshall III, chairman and CEO of Temple University Health System in Philadelphia, Pa.;

Stephanie S. McCutcheon, president and CEO of Hospital Sisters Health System in Springfield, Ill.;

John O'Connell, president and CEO of Franciscan Services Corporation in Sylvania, Ohio.;

Deborah Proctor, president and CEO of St. Joseph Health System in Orange, Calif.; and

Warner L. Thomas, president and chief operating officer of Ochsner Health in New Orleans, La.

About the AHA

The AHA is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to the health improvement of their communities. The AHA is the national advocate for its members, which include nearly 5,000 hospitals, health care systems, networks, other providers of care and 43,000 individual members. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends. For more information, visit the AHA website at www.aha.org.